When Jian Songyi got up in the morning, he went ahead and to the kitchen only to see that it was cold and empty. Seeing the dining room at the same state, he was stupefied.

Where was his meal?

With a ‘Ding Dong’, his Wechat rang. It was his mother.

Mrs. Tang: [Aunt’s son is ill and has asked for a week’s leave. Grab something to eat by yourself.]

Mrs. Tang: [By the way, let me show you the candlelight dinner your father cooked himself.]

Mrs. Tang: [steak .jpg]

What a coincidence. 

Jian Songyi felt that the world was too ruthless to him. It’s as if the universe is conspiring to ruin his life. 

Dejected, he can only scratch the back of his head. He couldn’t show up to grandfather Bai’s house only to eat and drink. That’s too embarrassing. That’s why he decided not to have breakfast at all. As if on cue, the Bently was already parked in front of the door. 

He checked his bag and realized his umbrella was missing. He remembered that he left it with Uncle Zhang. 

Jian Songyi breathed a sigh of relief. He is not that unlucky yet after all. 

But then, he spoke too soon. As soon as Jian Songyi opened the car door, he was welcomed by Bai Huai sitting on the back seat. His breath hitched a little. ‘What is he doing in my car?’ He thought. With a lunch box in his hand even? 

The consequence of getting up early is that his mind is still not completely present. He is still in a daze. While questioning himself, his body moves on its own. Jian Songyi sat next to Bai Huai and closed the car door as if it’s normal and yesterday didn’t even happen. 

Until the car had already started, Jian Songyi asked while still in a daze: “You just transferred to run away from early self-study?”

Jian Songyi is not a morning person. He could not wake up at six in the morning for the worth of it all. In fact, he sucks at doing so that the school treated him as a special case. The school had authorized him to skip the self-study session in the morning so long as he can guarantee that he can attend the first class by 8 in the morning.

But why didn’t Bai Huai attend the self-study session? Can he take in Jian Songyi’s spot of being the top student?

‘He can’t’ Jian Songyi thought.

Bai Huai bowed his head and opened his lunchbox with an indifferent look on his face. “Grandpa said I was not in good health, so I should sleep more in the morning.”

Jian Songyi really did not see what was wrong with his health, and the leaders of the school really went blind against their conscience when they saw the word “cypress”.

“I am saddened by Grandfather Bai’s behavior of spoiling his grandson too much.”

“Here.” Bai Huai handed something over to Jian Songyi’s direction.

A bowl of wonton.

Jian Songyi took the bowl and said politely, “Thank you, Grandpa Bai.”

“You don’t necessarily need to call me grandpa.”

“…..”

Jian Songyi felt embarrassed. How could he let himself slip like that? He tried covering it by clearing his throat.

“Brother is alright.”

“Oh? But you still owe of calling me father. The umbrella, remember?”

Bai Huai raised his brow but he did not refute the idea.

Jian Songyi then realized that as long as Bai Huai did not wear his glasses, he would have the urge to teach him how to look at people. He even wonders why Bai Huai is wearing a pair of glasses, to begin with. It’s not like his spectacles have any degrees. Why does he have to pretend to need them?

Nevertheless, hunger is a much more powerful force. He decided not to argue now and focus first on the food he has in front of him.

However, no matter what he did, Jian Songyi couldn’t put the noodles into his mouth.

Bai Huai noticed. He then took the bowl of wonton from him before stuffing a box of biscuits against his chest. “Eat this first.”

Before Jian Songyi could even question, Bai Huai took a pair of chopsticks and began to pick out the parsley inside. 

Bai Huai remembered that Jian Songyi dislikes parsley. He had forgotten to tell their chef not to put some on the noodles. Fortunately, only a small amount was placed as it was there mainly for decoration. He swiftly picks each one with his chopsticks, not wanting to make Jian Songyi wait. 

When the clean wonton returned to Jian Songyi’s hands, he swallowed the biscuits from his mouth and took a cold breath. “Whoa. I can’t believe you turned this into an innocent wonton again!”

Does it mean that people’s wonton is not innocent with parsley?

Bai Huai thought there was something wrong with the man’s speech.

After Jian Songyu had enough to eat and drink, he thought that he should repay the generosity Bai Huai had shown to him. He then proceeded to poke his arm. “I haven’t helped you read that last night’s comprehensive physics problem. Why don’t you take it out now, and Brother Song will tell you about it?”

“No, it’s time for school.”

“Well, if you fail the exam don’t blame me for it.”

“My grades are alright. I can manage.”

“…..”

It’s alright. Jian Songyi doesn’t need to be too concerned. He’s just the number one student from the northern area. Bai Huai can compete with him by pretending to be intimidating, but Jian Songyi knows that he is absolute.

Jian Songyi opened the door and got out of the car. He didn’t forget about his umbrella, especially as he waited for Bai Huai to step out as well.

The rain was no less than yesterday, but when they arrived at their classroom, Bai Huai’s chestnut hair is still obediently fixed to his forehead. It was not disturbed at all just like yesterday. 

…

Because it is only a pre-test, there is no formal arrangement of the examination room and the students can freely choose where to seat. 

The schedule is as follows: Chinese in the morning, Maths and then English in the afternoon, and then there’s self-study in the evening. 

The test is to be completed in one day, with no intention of leaving a hair on the students’ heads.

In line with the principle of spurring these groups of students to work hard, the set of questions is set to be extremely hard. In fact, anyone could notice the sorrowful looks the students from the first and second floors are emitting as they take the test. 

Nanwai is divided into classes according to their grades: from class one to class five with class one being the highest and class five being the lowest. Thus, it can only be expected that the atmosphere in the third year, class one is more than relaxed. 

The test was indeed quite easy for them and that kind of difficulty was bearable, but no one dares to forget that third-year class one is also house to two demons. 

Jian Songyi is a gifted student with a flexible brain, good memory, and quick reaction time. Most of the time, he answers the questions based on his first intuition. As a result, he always finishes first. It’s already normal in class one that he will hand in his paper half an hour in advance. 

However, there was a Bai Huai sitting beside him.

Bai Huai’s style of doing the paper is different from that of Jian Songyi. He looks like he is answering the questions slowly and carefully, but it only looks like it. When Jian Songyi is still answering the last emotional analysis of reading comprehension, he has already turned over the back and started to write his composition.

Which is unbearable for Jian Songyi.

Jian Songyi’s pen stopped moving. The little man stopped answering his test for a while so he can pick up his concentration. He then began to speed up that eventually, he ended up handing in the paper in the same minute as Bai Huai.

By the time the English and Math exams were taken in the afternoon, the smoke of gunpowder without war became more and more intense.

English is due in an hour and ten minutes.

Meanwhile, Math papers are due in one hour and twenty minutes.

But every time, just as they were just starting to answer, everyone would hear the sound of pens being placed down from the back of the classroom. Then, they would see two handsome figures slowly making their way to the podium to hand in their papers and then slowly return to their spots. 

One will then begin to sleep while the other would start reading.

The leisurely and complacent look plunged a group of top students in the province into self-doubt.

‘How can they finish the paper so quickly?’

‘Am I stupid?’

‘Should I really be in class one?’

‘Do I deserve to sit here?’

‘I seem to be too a little far-fetched into thinking I am smart.’There is an hour between the math exam and the evening self-study.

But because the school canteen was not officially opened, there were only two windows in the school canteen. Jian Songyi was so relaxed that he lost his appetite. It was raining outside and he was too lazy to go out, so he simply decided to stay in the classroom.

To think of it, he was a little slower than Bai Huai in all three exams. Although the final time gap was only a minute, he knew it was an utter defeat. And to top it all up, he has seen Bai Huai’s papers. It’s clean and tidy with clear and beautiful writing.

That ticked him off a bit.

It’s decided then. Jian Songyi will practice his handwriting first and then he would find sense to the problem at hand. After that, he would teach a certain Bai this evening and force him to be a man tonight.

And that certain Bai certainly does not care of what he is thinking. 

Anyways, at the time of dinner when everyone was in line, the news spread that the new handsome Alpha in Class one is a big demon just like Jian Songyi.

Blood and tears could be seen from their classmates while the other students from lower classes only had a sense of innocent admiration towards the two. 

People with a larger gap are less likely to be jealous of Jian Songyi and Bai Huai. They could barely even finish their test papers on time. With that, they felt no pressure and only felt admiration for those two who can hand in their papers even if the work time isn’t even halfway through yet. In fact, they’re more concerned about whether the two demons are handsome. 

The students of class one are very vocal about this, especially Xu Jiaxing, who was sitting in front of the two big devils while his arms are tucked over his chest. “Oh! You all know our Brother Song, right? He is very handsome.”

All of the chicks blushed slightly as they continued to eat their rice. They all seem to feel a little bit bashful after hearing the word ‘Brother Song’.

Xu Jiaxing was very satisfied with their reaction. “Although, the new transfer student ain’t that bad either. He also differentiated as a mature Alpha. And that’s not all. He seems to be a little taller than Brother Song too. Look at your taste, isn’t he extremely handsome?”

The proud pride in his tone seemed to resemble as of a father. 

Xu Jiaxing and Jian Songyi have a good relationship, so people knew that what it is he was saying was most definitely true. 

People began to whisper. 

But then, a voice suddenly resurfaced from the crowd, “You all went to Nanwai in junior high school, so not anyone of you really knows Bai Huai. Shut up all of you!” He started. “But if you really want to know, then I will tell you. He is at the number one school in Beicheng. Bai Huai was the school bully and the most handsome male student there. He is also the top student there! If he had transferred here earlier, then he would’ve been the top student in the high school entrance examination.”

“…..”

“Wait, isn’t this the characteristics of Brother Song?”

“Then Brother Song just met his opponent.”

“So exciting!”

“A decisive battle against the best of the best!”

“Come on place your bets to who do you think will score higher in Science this time.”

“It must be Brother Song! Here, I bet three packs of spicy gluten.”

“As a student of Nanwai, I believe in the legend of Bai Huai. I bet on six-packs!”

“I’m going to bet too! Five bags on me.”

…..

“I’ll have my bet on Jian Songyi too. If he is not the top student in his class then, I will treat everyone a cup of milk tea.”

The voice was thin and small. It was a little timid from the group of loud voices, but it is by far the most arrogant and extravagant bet.

Everyone looked in the direction where the voice had come from. And what welcomed them was a girl with a round face and round eyes. 

Xu Jiaxing raised his brow. “Lin Yuanyuan, don’t be impulsive. According to my firsthand information, Bai Huai should be ahead of Brother Song by a very small margin.”

“I am not impulsive. I simply believe in Jian Songyi.” The little girl blushed after saying this. He then picked his meal and then left abruptly.

Everyone was not surprised by that random admirer. Jian Songyi is very popular, after all.

Only the tall boy who had just come out of the teacher’s canteen with a lunch box glanced inadvertently at the corner, then walked slowly into the rain curtain with a black umbrella.

…

When Bai Huai returned to the classroom, Jian Songyi was talking to an Omega.

Jian Songyi titled his chair while carrying the yogurt from his hand. There’s also a sandwich and a rice ball that reside on the table. The Omega sat on Xu Jiaxing’s seat and helped him remove the plastic wrapper of his food.

The Omega then whispered something to Jian Songyi’s ear, but Bai Huai did not quite catch it. Nevertheless, he saw the way Jian Songyi’s lips curved into a smile. His eyebrows raised while his eyes sparkles as it resembles a surprised and yet very amused expression.

Bai Huai had to admit that since childhood, Jian Songyi has been good-looking with red lips and white teeth. He is bright, flamboyant with a little bit of aggressiveness on the side too.

Bai Huai went to his seat and stuffed his lunchbox under his table. He seems to be indifferent as if he didn’t witness anything from when he entered the classroom. 

It was only then after he was seated that he clearly saw the Omega’s face. If he remembered correctly, it was the one who defended Jian Songyi yesterday.

‘I think his name is Zhou Luo’ He thought.

Slender with fair skin. He seems to have a good temper. That kind of man is suitable for Jian Songyi. Bai Huai thinks they would make great partners. But he just watched them for a couple of minutes. He didn’t comment about it and simply shrugged the thoughts away. Bai Huai decided to start browsing his new physics book instead of wasting his time on them.

The tip of the pen rustled across the paper, and the knuckles were whitened by force.

Since Bai Huai came in, Zhou Luo shuddered because of the sudden drop in temperature. He opened his bag quickly and pretended he is looking for something. He secretly tried to compose himself. 

Good-looking is really good-looking. From his eyes, nose, and all the way to his mouth. Not to mention his small mole imprinted on his face. 

Even if he looks cold and serious, his charisma is overpowering still. Whether it’s his decision to alienate himself and drag the iceberg like a protest, he is still one of the most handsome in class.

When he thought of what Lu Qi Feng had told him about Bai Huai’s past when he was 14, Zhou Luo was even more in awe. He pushed the peeled sandwiches and rice balls in front of Jian Songyi: “Brother Song, take your time eating. I’ll go back after I finished memorizing history.”

With that, he ran away without further notice. 

Jian Songyi loosely took off the yogurt’s lid. He was about to eat a spoonful when his eyes darted towards Bai Huai. “What? Look at you. Do you always look at people like that? I won’t be surprised if anyone ended up scared of you.” 

Bai Huai met Jian Songyi’s gaze. “Aren’t you afraid?’

Jian Songyi raised his brow at him. “Why would I be afraid of you? I was simply kidding. You are so naive as always. Don’t forget. I am your Brother Song.”  

Bai Huai never paid much attention to anything Jian Songyi said. He knows he always had a lot to say, but this time seems to be a different day. He was not sure why, but Bai Huai felt like replying to his snarky remark. He placed down his pen and turned to face him. And as if taunting Jian Songyi, Bai Huai leaned over to the table so he could rest his chin against his hand. He then snickered. 

“Jian Songyi, believe me. You will always be afraid.” 

Bai Huai’s eyes resembled a phoenix. The shade of his eyes darkened while his light smile seemed to be implying something more ruthless than what he had said. 

Jian Songyi was stunned for a second but then he started to laugh. 

Bai Huai- is he trying to threaten him? 

Jian Songyi continued to laugh in amusement until he had lost the sense of gravity and his chair tilted more than he intended it to. The chair ought to fall straight back. Fortunately enough, Bai Huai’s reaction time was short and he was there before anything bad had happened. 

Bai Huai instantly hugged Jian Songyi towards him. 

Originally, it was just an instinctive ration to help him stabilize his figure. Bai Huai was only supposed to be holding off the chair until Jian Songyi can sit right up again. Huh. But it ended into Jian Songyi in between Bai Huai’s arms in the most delicate position. 

—

The chair fell to the ground with a clang.

The classroom door was pushed open.

Xu Jiaxing’s mineral water bottle fell on the ground.

And the classroom door once again closed down.